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Professor Chung-Seok Chang named as APS Fellow
Professor Chung-Seok Chang named as APS Fellow
- Honorable position offered only to an extremely small number of members within 0.5% of APS
- Recognized for his leading and creative contribution to Plasma conveyance theory, Electromagnetic waves heating theory and leadership in the research field of large-scaled computer simulation
Professor Chung-Seok Chang (Department of Physics) was named as a fellow of the American Physics Society (APS), world-renowned society in the physics filed.
The fellow of the APS is considered as a position of great honor among scholars in the field of Physics since only a small number of regular members within 0.5% of the APS can become the fellows. Professor Chang was recognized for his leading and creative contribution to the fields of Plasma conveyance theory, Electromagnetic waves heating theory and leadership in the research field of large-scaled computer simulation, which made him named as APS fellow.
Professor Chang has been invited several times to the Main Policy Committee of the U.S. Department of Energy and was a member of On-site Review Committee on the theoretical research activities of the U.S. major state-run institutes. Due to many world-recognized research results carried out with KAIST students, he has been invited several times for lecture to the conference of the APS as well as large-scaled international academic conferences. As a result, KAIST doctorates of Computational Physics from his laboratory are recognized globally for their excellence in the field of nuclear fusion.
Besides, Professor Chang was assigned as the Chief General of the super-sized Computational Theory Research Group last year, to which the U.S Department of Energy will invest 6 million dollars of research fund for three years, and manages the complex theory research group that transcribes and reproduces the properties of nuclear fusion plasma by using large-scaled parallel computers with its head quarter in the U.S. Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. This research group consists of greatest U.S. scholars in the fields of Physics, Mathematics, and Computation, belonging to 14 research-education institutes such as Princeton University, Colombia University, MIT, University of California Engineering College, California State University, Rutgers University, New-York University, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Oak Ridge National Lab, Berkeley National Laboratories, etc., thereby gathering worldwide
2006.10.25 View 15083 -
Professor Sang-Yup Lee publishes a requested paper in Nature Biotechnology
Professor Sang-Yup Lee publishes a requested paper in Nature Biotechnology
“The era of commercialized bioplastic is coming”
Disclose an opinion as specialist at a requested paper in Nature Biotechnology, October 2006
A team led by Barbel Friedrich, Professor of Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, and Alexander Steinbuchel, Professor of West falische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster, found out the entire genome sequence of the typical bioplastic-producing microorganism ‘Ralstonia eutropha’ and published a paper on it in Nature Biotechnology, October 2006. As the entire genome sequence of the typical bioplactic-producing microorganism has been discovered, it is expected that the efficient production of bioplastic will be available through strain improvement at a more systematic level.
Regarding this paper, Nature Biotechnology requested world-renowned scholar Sang-Yup Lee, LG Chemical Chair-Professor of KAIST Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, an expert analysis on the future of bioplastic production as a result of the deciphering of the genome sequence, and Professor Lee revealed his opinion at ‘News and Views’ in Nature Biotechnology, October 2006, issued on October 10. In the analysis, he insisted, “The deciphering of the genomes of Ralstonia means to pave the way for the improvement of strains at a system level by combining simulation through various omics and imaginary cells and engineering at a genome level. It will be possible to produce plastic with desired properties by altering the components of plastic as desired and produce bioplastic, more efficient and economical than have been reported so far, through the optimization of metabolic flow.”
Professor Lee is a world-renowned scholar in the bioplastic field, who has presented about 70 SCI papers in the field. He created a word ‘Plastic Bacteria’ at Trends in Biotechnology in 1996 and published an expert paper regarding E.Coli Plastic at Nature Biotechnology in 1997. He is now performing a research concerning the improvement of bioplastic-producing strains as an example of a research employing a systematic method for the system biological research and development project of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The followings are the contents of Professor Lee’s paper concerning microorganism plastic published at ‘News and Views’ in Nature Biotechnology, October 2006.
- Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a high molecule that numerous microorganisms accumulate in their own cells as energy storage substance when they are rich in carbonic resources, but poor in the other growth factors. The PHA high molecule is polyester, in which the unit substances (unit chemicals) are ester-bonded, and has been studied worldwide about twenty years before. However, PHA’s worse properties than petrochemical plastic and extremely high production cost have prevented its commercialization. The production cost of PHA was 15 dollars per kg in 1980’s, twenty times higher than the price of polypropylene. Sang-Yup Lee, LG Chemical Chair-Professor of KAIST Chemical & Biomolecular Department’s BK21 Project Group, has performed a research concerning the efficient production of microorganism plastic through the combination of metabolic engineering and fermentation process under the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and developed a process that lowers the production cost of PHA to 2-3 dollars per kg. He also has developed PHA-producing bacteria, efficient enough to fill plastic tightly, and named it ‘Plastic Bacteria’.
- The unprecedented rise of oil price for the past two years activated the researches on Bio-based energies and chemical production globally. PHA is also regaining attentions although the researches on it have been withered so far due to its poor economical efficiency and properties. The result of the genome deciphering of the typical plastic-producing microorganism ‘Ralstonia eutropha’ published by a German research team in Nature Biotechnology, October 2006 suggests huge meanings. That is, it will provide a blueprint over the metabolic activities of the bacteria and thus enables more systematic strain improvement.
- Eyeing on these facts, Nature Biotechnology requested Professor Sang-Yup Lee an expert analysis, and Professor Lee analyzed that there would be a dramatic development of microorganism plastic production through the application of the system biological engineering method, which is now being performed actively by Professor Lee at KAIST. In the analysis, Professor Lee revealed, “As the genome sequence has been found out, it becomes possible to establish metabolic network at a genome level, and since simulation becomes available, numberless trial and errors and experiments can be replaced with imaginary experiments rapidly. In addition, It makes the more efficient development of strains possible by fusion-analyzing the omics result such as various transcripts, proteins, metabolites, etc.” He also expected that it would be possible to produce tailor-made PHA having desired properties through metabolic engineering as well as the efficient production of plastic. Besides, he prospected that his research on the production of optically pure hydroxyl carboxyl acid, Professor Lee’s international patent right, would gain driving forces and technical development would be made rapidly at biological hydrogen production, production, dissolution and application of aromatic compounds, etc. by featuring this strain.
- Recently, Metabolic and ADM, U.S. companies, jointly started to produce PHA at a commercialization level, and Brazil having rich natural resources is commercializing PHA, following Bio-ethanol. In addition, Japan and Germany having a bunch of research performance in this field, and Australia having rich biomass are also performing consistent researches on PHA’s commercialization. Professor Lee prospected, “With the finding out of the genome sequence of the typical bioplastic-producing microorganism, competition for commercialization will be fiercer among nations through the development of efficient production systems.”
- Professor Lee prospected that as the efficient production of PHA becomes possible, the production of plastic from various renewable ingredients (cellurose, starch, suger, etc.) through microorganism fermentation would be made practically and the white biotechnologies of existing chemicals would gain more power. He also said, “Korea also will have to try to secure the production technologies and industry of Bio-based chemicals through strategic cooperation with resource powerfuls, etc. on the basis of the technical dominancy in some system metabolic engineering fields.”
- ‘News and Views’ in Nature Biotechnology is a section that publishes analyses of world-renowned specialists in the corresponding fields over the contents of some papers having great influences among papers published in the issue. KAIST Professor Sang-Yup Lee has published his second expert analysis of ‘Deciphering bioplastic production’ in the volume of October 2006, following the first paper ‘Going into the era of E.Coli plastic’.
2006.10.23 View 18145
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Sona Kwak wins first prize in international robot design contest
Sona Kwak wins first prize in international robot design contest
Sona Kwak (Doctor’s course, Department of Industrial Design) won the first prize in an international robot design contest.
Kwak exhibited an emotional robot of ‘Hamie’ at ‘Robot Design Contest for Students’ in Ro-Man 2006/ The 15th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, which was held at University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom for three days from September 6 (Wed) and obtained the glory of the first prize.
‘Hamie’, the work of the first prize, has been devised in terms of emotional communication among human beings. The design concept of ‘Hamie’ is a portable emotional robot that can convey even ‘intimacy’ using senses of seeing, hearing, and touching beyond a simple communication function. The design of ‘Hamie’ was estimated to best coincide with the topic of the contest in consideration of its function that allows emotional mutual action between human beings as well as mutual action between human and robot, or robot and robot. ‘Hamie’ is not an actual embodiment but proposed as ‘a concept and design of a robot’.
‘Ro-man’ is a world-famous academic conference in the research field of mutual action between robot and human being, and ‘Robot Design Contest for Students’ is a contest to scout for creative and artistic ideas on the design and structure of future robots and exhibits works from all over world.
Kwak is now seeking to develop the contents and designs of various next-generation service robots such as ▲ ottoro ? cleaning robot ▲ robot for blind ▲ robot for the old ▲ robot for education assistance ▲ robot for office affairs ▲ ubiquitos robot in her lab (PES Design Lab) led by Professor Myungseok Kim.
“I’ve considered and been disappointed about the role of designers in robot engineering while I’ve been designing robots. I am very proud that my robot design has been recognized in an academic conference of world-famous robot engineers and gained confidence,” Kwak said.
2006.09.27 View 18027
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Professor Eunjoon Kim's team finds synapse-forming protein
Professor Eunjoon Kim’s team finds synapse-forming protein
- discover a new protein ‘NGL’ that promotes the formation of neuronal synapses
- can presume the cause of various brain disorders including schizophrenia
- will be published at Nature Neuroscience Vol. 9 in September
A new protein that promotes the formation of synapses in human brains was discovered by a Korean research team.
The team led by Eunjoon Kim, Professor of Department of Biological Sciences and Head of Creative Research Group of Synapse Formation), announced that it had discovered a new fact that NGL protein promotes the formation of neuronal synapses and this fact would be published in Nature Neuroscience Vol. 9 on September 18.
Professor Kim’s team discovered that a membrane protein named ‘NGL’ located at post synapse links with other membrane protein named netrin-G in pre synapse, acting as crosslink, and promotes the formation of a new synapse.
‘NGL’ is the second protein found to crosslink synapse, following neuoroligin. With the discovery of this new protein, the principle of synapse formation and the causes of various brain disorders can be presumed.
In the human brain, about more than 100 billion neuron cells and about 10,000 synapses compose neural circuit. A synapse is the place where innervation occurs between neuron cells. The formation of synapse induces the formation of neural circuit, and neural circuit is deeply related with various brain disorders as well as normal development of brains or brain functions.
“As netrin-G linked with NGL is related with schizonphrenia and neuoroligin and synapse crosslinking protein having a similar function with NGL is deeply related with mental retardation and autism, I think NGL is related with various brain disorders including schizophrenia.”
<Explanation of attached photos>
■ Photo1: Experiment for confirming NGL’s ability to form synapse No. 1
Mix ordinary cell (green) revealing NGL at its surface and neuron cell. Axon grows toward NGL (ordinary cell) located in the middle of ten o’clock direction and meets NGL, where NGL induces the formation of pre synapse (red) in the contacting axon.
Whether pre synapse has been formed can be told by the fluorescent dying (red) of pre synapse protein named Synapsin.
- Figure a-b: formation of synapse by NGL
- Figure c-d: transformed NGL losing synapse forming ability cannot form synapse
■ Photo 2: Experiment for confirming NGL’s ability to form synapse No. 2
When beads coated with NGL are scattered on neuron cell, the beads contact with the axon of the neuron cell (the beads are clearly visible at the phase differentiation image in the middle panel). At this time, NGL induces the formation of pre synapse (red) in the axon. Whether pre synapse has been formed can be told by the fluorescent dying (red) of pre synapse protein named SynPhy (panel a) or VGlut1 (panel b).
2006.09.21 View 17339
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KAIST Cultural Festival - the 2nd rocklassic
KAIST Cultural Festival - the 2nd rocklassic
- Unique music festival by KAIST students mixed with creation, performance, and science
- Result of creative classes - All activities from performance planning to strings manufacturing will be carried out by students themselves
- At the outdoor theater in KAIST, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 10
Crossover music festival pursuing balanced mixture of Rock and Classic will be held by KAIST students.
KAIST (President Nam-Pyo Suh) will open ‘KAIST Cultural Festival - the 2nd rocKlassic’ at the outdoor theater, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 10.
This performance can be considered as a new attempt that provides opportunities of experiencing the vital topic of industry in the 21st century - fusion of culture and technology. Performance planning, arrangement, and playing are all carried out by students themselves, and musical instruments manufactured by students during classes will be used for the performance. This performance is the result of creative classes such as chamber music, strings manufacturing, performance planning, and business management, which have been newly attempted in KAIST since 2002.
In the performance subtitled as ‘Einstein’s Violin’, KAIST-graduated bandoneonist Sangji Ko will play the bandoneon (musical instrument which is composed of rectangular side faces and wrinkled box, and played by pushing buttons) as a special guest, and total 40 players including members of KAIST student music club ‘Adlib’, ‘KAIST orchestra’, and ‘MUSIKA’, which is making active performances outside KAIST, will attend to make the concert the biggest music project of KAIST.
General director Jeongjin Kim (Professor of KAIST Graduate School of Culture and Technology) said, “In order to enjoy the concert with neighborhood, the outdoor theater capable of 3,000 people will be fully opened, and there is no charge for it. I am sure the passion and talent toward music emitting from KAIST students will startle the audience.”
■ Program
<1st stage>
- The song of life - Adlib, KAIST orchestra
- Flying - Adlib, KAIST orchestra
- From between calm and passion - Chulho Kim, KAIST orchestra
- Propose - Yeoseotjul
- As my wish - Yeoseotjul, Adlib
- I lay my love on you - Yeoseotjul
- Rachmaninov/ Rhapsody on Theme of Paganini Op. 43: Var. 18 Piano - Chulho Kim, KAIST orchestra
- Chaser - Adlib
- Walk this way - Adlib
- Girl’s period - Adlib
- Sweep away - Adlib, KAIST orchestra
<2nd stage>
- Beethoven Virus - Adlib, KAIST orchestra
- Simple symphony - KAIST orchestra
- Cinema paradiso - KAIST orchestra
- Piano trio by Mendelssohn - Daehyun Wie (Piano), Wontae Song (Violin), Hongje Chang (Cello)
- Tango Pugata - Sangji Ko (Bandoneonist), etc.
- Vuelvo al sur - Youngsan Lee, etc.
- La Cumparsita - Sangji Ko, etc.
- Libertango - Sangji Ko, etc.
- Dramatic Funk - Wontae Song, Adlib
- Cavalleria rusticana intermezzo - Sangji Ko, KAIST orchestra
- Hurricane 2000 - Adlib, KAIST orchestra, Yeoseotjul
2006.09.11 View 17713
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National NanoFab Center Established
NNFC Emerges with Cutting-edge Nanotech
On March 16, a dedication ceremony was held at KAIST to mark the completion of the National NanoFab Center(NNFC). The opening was graced with the presence of several prominent figures, namely, President Robert B. Laughlin, Daejeon City Mayor Hong-chul Yum, and Myung Oh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and Technology.Celebrations of the opening were attended by roughly 300 related personnel. After a welcoming speech given by Hee-Chul Lee, President of NNFC, the event proceeded with a ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a grand tour of the cleanroom.
The newly completed NNFC on campus boasts a total area of 17,035 square meters which consists of a four-storey research building, a cleanroom and a central utility building.
Still at the first stage of its equipment supplementation, the center has currently achieved an immense 140 in gear variety, worth approximately 80 billion won. At its final stage, a total of 206 equipment arrangements are to be available for various research purposes.
Implementing the use of state-of-the-art facilities, NNFC’s devices include an electron beam capable of critical measurements as small as ten nanometers and an ion beam structure for the analysis of nano-scale materials. These equipments are to be used in numerous areas - fundamental physics, biotechnology and nanoscience
Until the year 2011, a sum of 290 billion won is to be invested in the NNFC by the government and other private organizations. The center, along with Daedeok Techno Valley, aspires to play an integral role in maturing towards a new age of nanotechnology.
President Lee of the NNFC stated that the center is essential for Korea’s nanotechnology skills to achieve higher standards and compete with countries such as the U.S. and Japan. President Lee is also a professor of KAIST at the Division of Electrical Engineering.
By Kyoung-lee Park / Staff ReporterApril, 2005 / The KAIST Herald
2005.04.12 View 23415
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Bently Pressurized Bearing Company donates 1 million dollars to KAIST to establish a new chair professorship
KAIST has announced that it recently received an endowment of 1 million US dollars from an American company, Bently Pressurized Bearing Co., earmarked to establish a chair professorship, and appointed Professor Jong Hyun Kim of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering Department as Donald E. Bently and Agnes Muszynska Endowed Chair Professor.
Professor Kim is a world-renowned expert in thermal and fluids sciences applied to energy systems and an authority on their applications to rotating machinery and nuclear safety analysis. He did his research in these areas at EPRI, GE, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Penn State University. He is a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and of American Nuclear Society, and is currently Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Transport Phenomena.
Bently Pressurized Bearing Co. (BPB) is pioneering fully lubricated, pressurized bearing to improve energy efficiency in rotating machinery. Mr. Donald E. Bently, Chairman and CEO of BPB, is an international authority on vibration monitoring and diagnostics of rotating machinery, published widely on these topics and holds patents. A philanthropist deeply interested in technology and science education, Mr. Bently made generous donations to a number of universities. He received numerous honors and awards, including those from ASME, the Pacific Center of Thermal-Fluids Engineering, University of Iowa, and received Nevada’s Outstanding Inventor Award. He was conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree by the University of Nevada and is a Fellow of ASME.
Dr. Agnes Muszynska is a world-renowned scientist in the area of rotating machinery dynamics in which she published 300 papers and a book. She was in responsible charge of research and development at Bently’s companies for many years. She was conferred the prestigious national title of Professor granted by the President of Poland. Dr. Muszynska is a Fellow of ASME.
Professor Kim said, “I am pleased that KAIST received this endowment, which can be interpreted as an international recognition for the research standard of KAIST. The chair named after the two prominent engineers means a lot to me, as they are familiar with my research activities. I feel particularly honored because the endowment came from overseas.”
KAIST has raised its eyesight to become a global leader in technology and science and recently lured a Nobel Laureate from Stanford University, Dr. Robert Laughlin, to head the institute. The school is striving to accelerate the pace for globalizing itself. The establishment of this chair professorship through a foreign endowment is in concert with the KAIST’s grand vision.
Resume for Jong Hyun Kim, Ph.D. Donald E. Bently and Agnes Muszynska Endowed Chair Professor
Education
1966 BS in Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University
1967 MS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Missouri
1971 Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Californian Institute of Technology
Professional Career
2002 - present Professor, Dept. of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, KAIST
2001 - 2002 Distinguished Chair Professor, Dept. of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, GyeongSang National University
1980 - 2000 Project Manager, EPRI
1977 - 1980 Senior Engineer, GE
1975 - 1977 Associate Engineer, Brookhaven National Laboratory
1973 - 1975 Research Associate, Applied Research Laboratory, Penn State University
1971 - 1973 Research Fellow, California Institute of Technology
Achievements/Recognitions
Fellow, American Nuclear Society
Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
National Academy of Engineering of Korea: overseas Korean member
Research:
- Total 185 publications: 117 papers, 11 books, 16 symposia volumes, and others
- Professor Kim’s research products helped nuclear industry save a few hundred million dollars
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Transport Phenomena
Chairman, Thermal Hydraulics Division, American Nuclear Society (2002-2003)
Chairman, Heat Transfer Division. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2001-2002)
UC Berkeley, Adjunct Professor in Mechanical Engineering (1993-1995)Stanford University, Consulting Professor in Mechanical Engineering (1988-1995)
About Donald E. Bently and Agnes Muszynska
Donald E. Bently, Chairman & CEO of Bently Pressurized Bearing Company, Minden, Nevada, is an engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, agriculturist, environmental conservationist, and visionary who is also a philanthropist.
Entrepreneurial Accomplishments
Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Bently Nevada Corp., the world"s leading supplier of condition monitoring instrumentation and services for rotating machinery until it was sold to GE in 2002
Founder of Bently Rotor Dynamics Research Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bently Nevada, where the basic ideas for his bearing technology were pioneered
Pioneered the first commercially successful eddy current proximity transducer and introduced its use to measure vibration and other critical parameters in rotating machinery. Today, he is actively pioneering fully lubricated, pressurized bearing technology.
His Bently Agrowdynamics practices environmentally sustainable agriculture through the innovative use of renewable resources and conducts research and development of biofuels such as biodiesel, which can be used in conventional diesel engines.
In addition, Donald E. Bently owns a diverse portfolio of other businesses including National Tribology Services, Inc., Gibson Tool & Supply, and Bently Holdings California, LP.
Scientific and Technological Contributions
Mr. Bently is an international authority on rotor dynamics as well as vibration monitoring and diagnostics. He has authored or co-authored more than 140 papers and a book on these subjects, Fundamentals of Rotating Machinery Diagnostics, and is the holder of two patents.
Honors and Awards
2003: Distinguished Service Award, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
2002: Distinguished Nevadan Award, the University of Nevada, Reno. Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
2001: Inducted into the University of Iowa"s Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy
2000: Frederick P. Smarro Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
1999: R. Tom Sawyer Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
1997: N.O. Myklestad Award, ASME Design Engineering Division
1995: ISROMAC Award for his distinguished research achievements in the field of rotating machinery, the Pacific Center of Thermal-Fluids Engineering
1992: Elected a Foreign Member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Engineering in Russia
Visiting Scholar, Tsinghua University, China
The first recipient of the Vibration Institute"s DECADE Award
1983: Nevada"s outstanding inventor award, the Nevada Innovation and Technology Council
1945-1946: Received four battle stars while on an amphibious landing team in the Pacific as a member of the U.S. Navy Seabees during World War II
Educational and Professional Credentials
Registered Professional Engineer in Electrical Engineering, Nevada and California
A senior member of IEEE and a Fellow of ASME
A member of honorary societies Sigma Xi, Eta Kappa Nu, and Tau Beta Pi
B.S. in Electrical Engineering (with Distinction), University of Iowa, 1949
M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Iowa, 1950
Honorary Doctorate in Engineering, University of Nevada at Reno, 1987
Honorary AA Degree, Western Nevada Community College, 1998
Agnes Muszynska, President, A.M. Consulting Co.
Dr. Agnes Muszynska, a native of Poland, is a world-renowned scientist in the area of rotating machinery dynamics. She worked for 18 years as a Senior Research Scientist and Research Manager at Bently Nevada Corporation and Bently Rotor Dynamics Research Corporation. For more than 40 years, Dr. Muszynska had conducted theoretical and experimental research on rotating machine dynamics. Dr. Muszynska received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Technical University of Warsaw, Poland. She received her Ph.D. from Polish Academy of Sciences and the prestigious title of Professor granted by the President of Poland. She is author or co-author of almost 300 scientific publications including a comprehensive book on rotordynamics. Several of her papers received awards from ASME, NASA, and ASEM. She also received the Distinguished Research Award for research achievements from the Pacific Center of Thermal-Fluids Engineering. Dr. Muszynska is currently the owner and President of A.M. Consulting Company. She is a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Mr. Donald Bently and Dr. Agnes Muszynska fruitfully collaborated on rotating machinery dynamics and diagnostics for many years.
2004.11.08 View 21980
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18th Student Council Elected
The KAIST Herald December 3, 2003
The votes were cast and counted on November 27. Donggodongrak won the election of the 18th Undergraduage Student Council of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Of the 2,340 eligible voters for the 18th student council election, 1,304 votes, or about 56 percent of the total, were amassed after a full day of election on November 27.
The two candidate teams, waiting to hear the result with much anxiety, were juniors Hye-min Kim and Jung-mo Kim running for the president and vice president positions, respectively, of the team "Donggodongrak" and juniors Dong-geun Kim and Yong-jae Yoon running for the same positions, respectively under the name "Woorung Chonggak."
Donggodongrak secured over 58 percent of the votes, with 760 supporting ballots, while Woorung Chongak polled 503 votes, or about 39 percent of the votes. Forty-one votes, or three percent of the votes cast were spoiled votes. With more than half the voters having participated, the election was valid, and Donggodongrak was declared the new student council of KAIST.
The election platform of the Donggodongrak team largely consist of four themes, composed of several smaller goals. First, they assert the "togetherness" of the student government and plan to achieve it by publishing monthly newsletters, hosting an open outdoor student council every other week, and creating various committees.
Secondly, they assert under the theme of an "improving" student government that they will promote festivals and events among the sixteen departments, form an official "class" of the freshmen, and broaden the association of the student representatives.
Third, Donggodongrak declares it wants to create an "open and just environment" by holding periodic meetings with the school for direct discussions of school policies; and by taking care of the welfare of the students in detail.
Finally, they advocate "a student government that communicates with society"; they will support opportunities to become more aware of various issues of society.
President Hye-min Kim, a graduate of Pusan Science High School, has participated in various intramural, socially active groups, and is majoring in applied mathematics. Vice-president Jung-mo Kim is a graduate of Mokpo High School and studies mechanical engineering.
2004.03.15 View 22051